The U.S. National Park and National Forestry services maintain over a dozen parks, historic trails and forests in the state of Texas. Keep clicking to see the beauty the Lone Star State has to offer its residents and tourists.

The U.S. National Park and National Forestry services maintain over a dozen parks, historic trails and forests in the state of Texas. Keep clicking to see the beauty the Lone Star State has to offer its ... more

Photo: Melissa Ward Aguilar

The U.S. National Park and National Forestry services maintain over... Photo-7831303.71361 - Houston Chronicle

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Park:

Big Bend National ParkWhere: Brewster County (Near Alpine)What the National Park Service says: "There
is a place in Far West Texas where night skies are dark as coal and
rivers carve temple-like canyons in ancient limestone. Here, at the end
of the road, hundreds of bird species take refuge in a solitary mountain
range surrounded by weather-beaten desert. Tenacious cactus bloom in
sublime southwestern sun, and diversity of species is the best in the
country. This magical place is Big Bend."

Alibates Flint National Quarries MonumentWhere: Potter County (nearest city is Amarillo)What the National Park Service says: "Hikes are by reservation, involve one mile of walking, an elevation gain of 170' and take two hours. The monument protects a mesa covered in a lithic scatter carpet of flint, so thick you cannot walk without stepping on human generated flakes of Alibates flint. The quarries were dug, by hand, 1,000 years ago. However, gathering of flint from the mesa has been taking place for 13,000 years."

Alibates Flint National Quarries MonumentWhere: Potter County (nearest city is Amarillo)What the National Park Service says: "Hikes are by reservation, involve one mile of walking, an elevation gain of

Amistad National Recreation AreaWhere: Val Verde County (near Del Rio)What the National Park Service says: "An oasis in the desert, Amistad National Recreation Area consists of the US portion of the International Amistad Reservoir. Amistad, whose name comes from the Spanish word meaning friendship, is best known for excellent water-based recreation, camping, hiking, rock art viewing, and its rich cultural history. Amistad is also home to a wide variety of plant and animal life above and below the water."

Big Thicket National PreserveWhere: Southeast Texas (Near Kountze)What the National Park Service says: "Life
of all types abounds in the Big Thicket. This national preserve
protects the incredible diversity of life found where multiple habitats
converge in southeast Texas. Hiking trails and waterways meander through
nine different ecosystems, from longleaf pine forests to cypress-lined
bayous. It is a place of discovery, a place to wander and explore, a
place to marvel at the richness of nature."

Chamizal National MemorialWhere: El PasoWhat the National Park Service says: "Chamizal is more than just an urban park to recreate or enjoy a quiet afternoon. These park grounds stand for peace; the peaceful settlement of a 100-year border dispute between nations. Not one shot was fired; not one war was waged. The memorial celebrates the culture of the borderland that helped to peacefully navigate an international argument."

Fort Davis National Historic SiteWhere: Jeff Davis County (Nearest city is Fort Davis)What the National Park Service says: "Fort Davis is one of the best surviving examples of an Indian Wars' frontier military post in the Southwest. From 1854 to 1891, Fort Davis was strategically located to protect emigrants, mail coaches, and freight wagons on the Trans-Pecos portion of the San Antonio-El Paso Road and on the Chihuahua Trail."

El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic TrailWhere: Texas (Laredo) and Louisiana (Natchitoches)What the National Park Service says: "Come on a journey that will carry you through 300 years of Louisiana and Texas frontier settlement and development on a Spanish colonial 'royal road' that originally extended to Mexico City, Mexico."

El Camino Real de Tierra AdentroWhere: Texas and New Mexico (Nearest cities include El Paso, Las Cruces, Alburquerque and Santa Fe)What the National Park Service says: "Take a journey on El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail to savor 300 years of heritage and culture in the Southwest. This Spanish colonial 'royal road' in New Mexico and Texas originally extended to Mexico City, Mexico."

Guadalupe Mountains National ParkWhere: Culberson and Hudspeth counties (Nearest city is Carlsbad, N.M.)What the National Park Service says: "Guadalupe Mountains National Park is the world's premier example of a fossil reef from the Permian Era. The park is known for its extensive hiking and backpacking opportunities in one of the nation's most pristine wilderness areas. Birding, history, and many other opportunities to learn and have fun await visitors in this hidden gem of West Texas."

Lake Meredith National Recreation AreaWhere: Potter, Moore and Hutchinson counties (Nearest city is Amarillo)What the National Park Service says: "Within the dry and windswept high plains of the Texas Panhandle lies a hidden oasis, a welcoming haven where wildlife and humans find respite from the dry grasslands above. Through this plain, the Canadian River has cut dramatic 200-foot canyons, or breaks, where humans have eked out a living for over 13,000 years. Lake Meredith now occupies these hidden coves where early humans once roamed."

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical ParkWhere: Blanco and Gillespie counties (Nearest cities are Johnson City and Stonewall)What the National Park Service says: "Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of our 36th President beginning with his ancestors until his final resting place on his beloved LBJ Ranch. This entire "circle of life" gives the visitor a unique perspective into one of America's most noteworthy citizens by providing the most complete picture of any American president."

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical ParkWhere: Blanco and Gillespie counties (Nearest cities are Johnson City and Stonewall)What the National Park Service says: "Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical

Padre Island National SeashoreWhere: Padre Island (Nearest city is Corpus Christi)What the National Park Service says: "Padre Island National Seashore separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Laguna Madre, one of a few hypersaline lagoons in the world. The park protects 70 miles of coastline, dunes, prairies, and wind tidal flats teeming with life. It is a safe nesting ground for the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle and a haven for 380 bird species. It also has a rich history, including the Spanish shipwrecks of 1554."

Padre Island National SeashoreWhere: Padre Island (Nearest city is Corpus Christi)What the National Park Service says: "Padre Island National Seashore separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Laguna Madre,

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical ParkWhere: Cameron County(Nearest city is Brownsville)What the National Park Service says: "On May 8, 1846, United States and Mexican troops clashed on the prairie of Palo Alto. The battle was the first in a two-year long war that changed the map of North America. Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park preserves the site of this notable battle and provides an understanding of the causes, events, and consequences of the U.S.-Mexican War."

Rio Grande Wild and Scenic RiverWhere: Brewster, Terrell, and Val Verde counties (It even cuts through Big Bend National Park)What the National Park Service says: "It is an irresistible playground where unruly rapids check your skills as a canyon wren’s definitive call cascades down ancient limestone cliffs. Below the chasm, the canyon’s raw beauty dances across mirrored water. While the primal nature of the river stirs hunger for spirited adventure, the river is also an undulant ribbon of wetland corridor and, against all odds, the lifeblood of the desert."

Rio Grande Wild and Scenic RiverWhere: Brewster, Terrell, and Val Verde counties (It even cuts through Big Bend National Park)What the National Park Service says: "It is an irresistible playground where

San Antonio Missions National Historic ParkWhere: San AntonioWhat the National Park Service says: "After 10,000 years, the people of South Texas found their cultures, their very lives under attack. In the early 1700s Apache raided from the north, deadly diseases traveled from Mexico, and drought lingered. Survival lay in the missions. By entering a mission, they foreswore their traditional life to become Spanish, accepting a new religion and pledging fealty to a distant and unseen king."

San Antonio Missions National Historic ParkWhere: San AntonioWhat the National Park Service says: "After 10,000 years, the people of South Texas found their cultures, their very lives under attack. In the